Network Geek Questions

[N_Jay]

1)
When extending a wifi network using WDS, does remote access point (wifi device not hooked to the wired network) need to use the same SSID as the host access point (wifi device connected directly to the wired network, usually the wifi router, but in my case it is an access point only).

2)
Once linked, are the two access points interchangeable?
(In my network, routing and DHCP and handled by a separate device from my wifi access points)
Are there any setting differences that make one the host and the other the slave, or do they just replace a piece of wire (so to speak).

[CMasten]

Depends on your gear. Cisco, Belkin, Netgear etc all do this a bit different from my experience.

Depending on your hardware, you will need to check the firmware to see if it includes a "bridge" mode. This mode allows access points to talk to other access points to essentially construct a wireless link, effectively resolving any mixed issues of multiple SSIDs and encryption etc, you can also get a mix of brands to talk to each other, again depending on the hardware. If its done right, all of the handshaking is transparent, so it acts like one big access point to your computers and as you walk from one to the other they will hand off.

Wow.. being able to perhaps answer a Q for N-Jay, that is a first.. its always been the other way around

[humanoid]

Chris, you'd better do a screen capture because it may never happen again!

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by CMasten
Depends on your gear. Cisco, Belkin, Netgear etc all do this a bit different from my experience.

Depending on your hardware, you will need to check the firmware to see if it includes a "bridge" mode. This mode allows access points to talk to other access points to essentially construct a wireless link, effectively resolving any mixed issues of multiple SSIDs and encryption etc, you can also get a mix of brands to talk to each other, again depending on the hardware. If its done right, all of the handshaking is transparent, so it acts like one big access point to your computers and as you walk from one to the other they will hand off.

Wow.. being able to perhaps answer a Q for N-Jay, that is a first.. its always been the other way around

I am using Belkin 7230-4 routers.
One is a version 2000 and the other is a version 7000.

The 7000 does not show that it has WDS, but a web site provided a trick to find the hidden menu.

After playing with both routers a while, I had it all working.
I had the SSIDs set the same, and the remote computer was hooked to the lan side of the remote router.

I tried changing the SSID so I could tell the two access points apart from over the air, and was able to hook to the remote access point and still get Internet access.

After a reset, I am unable to get them to reconnect, even though I have tried changing the SSID back to match the wire-line connected access point.

[N_Jay]

More.

Seems to come back to working after a while when I have set the SSID the same.

I would really like to be able to define which access point I am on, but that is a secondary need.

[CMasten]

couple of thoughts,

1) make sure both have the latest firmware at
http://www.belkin.com/support/produc...230-4&scid=222

2) I have found Belkin tech support to be very good to excellent, depending on whom answers the call, but it may save you some time to run down through the faqs on the above link, make sure the firmware is the latest on both (bridging was added on several APs and Routers in later firmware revisions) and if that doesnt do it, have a hit list to walk through with tech support. It could be that there is another way to accomplish this across product lines and the right combo of firmware may be warranted. For example, I needed to take a firmware revision "back" to another version to enable a similar feature on some Cisco AP's about a year ago.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by CMasten
couple of thoughts,

1) make sure both have the latest firmware at
http://www.belkin.com/support/produc...230-4&scid=222

2) I have found Belkin tech support to be very good to excellent, depending on whom answers the call, but it may save you some time to run down through the faqs on the above link, make sure the firmware is the latest on both (bridging was added on several APs and Routers in later firmware revisions) and if that doesnt do it, have a hit list to walk through with tech support. It could be that there is another way to accomplish this across product lines and the right combo of firmware may be warranted. For example, I needed to take a firmware revision "back" to another version to enable a similar feature on some Cisco AP's about a year ago.

Been all through there FAQs and help files.

Finally found one that gave me what I thought I needed, but none seem to be specific to the SSID issue.

They also don't show the 7000 version in the list of products capable of WDS operation.
Of course they don't show the 8000 or 9000 either so I can not tell if it was left off on purpose, or if the list is old and has not been updated.

I would guess it is not supposed to do it since the menu item was hidden.
However some of the FAQs listed it is "default-on", so maybe the menu item is no longer needed.

I guess that is one of my questions. Does it need to be enabled at both ends, or just at the device hosting the signal, or just at the device remote to the network.

[vegasdude]

Great advise from CMasten...I'm glad I don't work on networks anymore for a living.

Good Luck!